Welsh Students launch World Cup fundraising effort
The Wales Student Rugby League team is looking to raise £100,000, in order that they can travel to the student World Cup in Australia next year.
The tournament is due to take place in Sydney between July 5 and 17, and the players need to fund the trip themselves in its entirety.
Last Sunday, Wales Students staged a trials day in Llantwit Major, and head coach Latham Tawhai was impressed with the efforts of the players.
“It was a really good turn out,” he said.
“There were players we’d not seen in the Wales set-up before and those we had seen and indeed already played for Wales.
“We had a mix of youth and experience and I feel an improved standard on last year. We’ll look at a lot of them in the mini-series in December and then tick a training squad to go forward to the next session in Deeside on December 18.
“We’ll look at that same group in January with a view to working towards cutting the squad to 30 players.
“Student Rugby League is always self-funded. We get the kit from Wales Rugby League but everything else, is up to us as a squad and from kind donations from sponsors, supporters, family, friends and well-wishers.
“Please donate what you can and help the future of Rugby League in Wales, club and country. Some of these players will hopefully go on to play for Ironmen if they’re in the south or Crusaders in the north, as well as maybe winning full Welsh honours.
“We are an important development tool for the future of the game in Wales.”
The RFL confirmed earlier this month that they are withdrawing their £70,000 annual support to WRL for junior development at the end of 2017, it is therefore even more essential that funds are raised to send the Welsh students to the World Cup.
Wales Students team manager Mark Jones added: “The whole trip is completely funded by the players with each player contributing £3000+ to represent their country. Wales Students got to the semi-finals in the 2013 World Cup and our goal is to win it in 2017. Please help us achieve this goal.”
To donate, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wales-students-world-cup.